Tattoo
by evaernst
Summary: Part of the "sisters" universe Neal has an interesting story to tell which shows his love for his sisters


**I don't own once upon a time or its characters. **

**I'm sorry for all grammar and spelling mistakes I'm not a native speaker. **

**This story is part of the "sisters" universe. **

**Please enjoy and review!**

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon in the small town of Storybrook. Outside the window of the white mansion owned by the one and only Regina Mills snowflakes fell from the sky. Humming quietly Regina went to her fridge to get the ingredients she needed to prepare dinner for herself and her guests. She had a lot to celebrate. She'd only recently met her sister, mother, brother and step-father. Actually Zelena was her half-sister and Neal was not her brother by blood but he was Zelena's half-brother. They'd decided on forgetting about these for them unimportant details and call each other just brother and sisters. It's been half a year since Regina and Zelena's mother Cora had been returned from the dead by Rumpelstiltskin who had only recently proposed to Belle. Regina herself was in a relationship with Emma Swan since three months and she had her son back.

Tonight her whole family would come over for dinner except for Emma and Henry who were on a trip with the football team that Emma was coaching. Suddenly the doorbell rang but Regina didn't have to open the door because she knew it was her sister who had a house key on her own and only used the doorbell to alert Regina of her presence. Only a couple of seconds later Zelena walked into the kitchen carrying a paper bag.

"Hello, dear." Regina said and gave her sister a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Hello, Gina" Regina gave her sister a playful glare at the nickname. In fact having someone calling her by a nickname made her feel loved.

Zelena placed the paper bag filled with fresh vegetables and other missing ingredients for their dinner on the kitchen counter and started to unpack them. Many activities like that had strengthened the bond between the two sisters to the point where they were almost inseparable. They were doing everything together. The two of them had started to get involved in community activities together and even went to a Zumba course once a week which was very awkward in the beginning but after some sessions the town people were used to the two and accepted them.

"When will the others come?" Zelena asked chopping vegetables for the salad.

"In about two hours. That means we've got enough time to prepare everything." Regina answered.

Two hours later Regina had to realize that she had been wrong. Of course she wasn't ready yet.

She was still getting ready upstairs while Zelena who had been ready from the beginning was sitting in the living room watching television. Because she was not yet well accustomed with modern media she mostly stuck to shows for children. But she had made her whole family swear that they would never tell a soul after all she had a reputation to lose.

The doorbell rang and Zelena turned off the television and opened the door to greet her family. She led them to the living room where the waited for Regina finally finishing her make up.

"I don't know why she bothers that much, I mean it's just us" Neal declares grumpily. He was very hungry. Zelena looked over at him and smiled.

"Well, she wants to look her best for us. You should feel honored." Before Neal could answer to that Regina entered the room and apologized for taking so long. All of them settled down around the table and enjoyed the delicious dinner. They joked and laughed a lot.

"Neal, I think there is something you want to tell your sisters. A story." Rumpel said causing Neal to blush slightly.

"Oh, I don't know. It's not a very interesting story to tell and-"

"Nonsense! Tell us!" Zelena and Regina pressed for Neal to tell the story.

"Well, last week I went to the "rabbit hole" with some guys and you know, we had a nice evening. We drank quite a lot. It must have been already way past midnight when I bet David that I could empty a bottle of beer a lot faster than he could. Long story short he accepted the bet and I lost." Neal retold the events of said night.

"That wasn't the whole story to tell, son." Rumpel said taking a sip of his glass of wine. Neal glared at him. "Neal, just tell them, it's not bad at all. I think it's quite cute."

"Dad, it's not cute! Anyway, David who by the way was as hammered as I was said that now that I had lost the bet I had to have a tattoo done." Neal continued and turned away ashamed at his last words.

"Oh dear lord" Regina said chuckling.

"And what happened then?" Zelena who seemed really captivated by the story asked curiously.

"Well, drunk as I was I didn't object because at that point it made perfect sense, after all I had lost the bet! Anyway, we left the bar and wandered through the streets trying to find a tattoo studio. Surprisingly we found one that was open and willing to tattoo me."

"Was he allowed to do that? You were drunk and now you obviously regret it" Regina asked frowning.

"No! Don't misunderstand me it's not that I regret the tattoo or its message. I just wish it'd happened under different circumstances. Do you want to know the rest of the story?" Neal replied and Zelena and Regina nodded.

"The tattoo artist asked which motive I wanted and I didn't know. I thought for a very very long time, David by the way had fallen asleep half an hour ago. Then the tattoo artist came over to me and said I should choose something that I could truly relate to and love. Then I knew what I wanted to have." Neal came to the end of the story and pulled up his sleeves. He showed his wrists to his sisters. On his right wrist there was the word "Zelena" written in need letters and on his left wrist in the same letters it said "Regina".

For a moment neither woman said a word. Then both hugged him tightly.

"Oh Neal, that is so sweet! We love you too!" Zelena whispered tears threatening to fall.

"Yes, yes we really do!" Regina added.

Rumpel and Cora smiled happily at their children. Although the tattoo had been done while Neal was drunk the message was genuine and their girls could not be happier.

Two weeks later Regina and Zelena surprised Neal with tattoos on their wrists matching the ones Neal had gotten during his drunken night. Both of them had the names of their siblings tattooed on their wrists. Now they had something that would connect them forever, something that would show everybody that not blood was the relating factor in their family but love.

**Do not hesitate to prompt me for further stories ;)**


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